Tips for Attending a NASCAR Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway

I decided to go to a NASCAR race for the first time after taking the “Feel the Thrill” tour at Charlotte Motor Speedway when visiting Cabarrus County, NC a couple of years ago. We were moving at about 60 mph in a van for the 24-degree banking and the force was intense! It was at that moment that I truly appreciated the sport, and I knew I had to experience an actual race, something I had never thought twice about doing before.

The stars and my travel calendar finally aligned, and I came to Cabarrus County as a guest for the AllStar Race Weekend in May, and I had the best time! I loved it so much that I would go to another NASCAR race in a heartbeat.

To have the best race experience, attendees to need to be prepared for the day, so I hope these tips based on what I’ve learned will help anyone attending a NASCAR race for the first time enjoy the event to its fullest.

NASCAR Race Charlotte Motor Speedway Tips

Stay comfortable – You’ll be on your feet and walking a lot, so wear shoes that feel great all day long. There are shuttles that travel the perimeter of the speedway, but don’t count on catching one. Bring along a padded seat cushion as the seats can feel hot and uncomfortable. Bring plenty of sunscreen (be sure to keep reapplying it), wear sunglasses and a hat, and dress in layers you can add or remove since the weather can be unpredictable. Also, rain showers can pop up so bring a poncho. (Umbrellas are a no-no.)

Plan for parking – Lots get full quickly, so be prepared to walk a fair distance to/from your car. Camping spots on race weekends are available on a first come/first serve basis as well.

Arrive early – Plan to arrive at the speedway several hours before race time to enjoy pre-race festivities and get settled into your seats. Oh, and depending on the event, there may be a flyover right before race time, so look up!

Bring water and snacks – Although concessions are readily available, save a few bucks and pack your own drinks (no glass) and snacks in a cooler no larger than 14 x 14-inches.

Consider purchasing a pit pass or garage pass. Walking on the actual race track is a treat in itself, but with a pit pass you can get an up-close look at some of the cars and teams in action as they prepare for the big race. You can also get right up near the concert stage for the music events.

Ear plugs are a necessity – This is non-negotiable. A single race car is loud enough, but dozens of them at full speed can be deafening. And the jet dryers for the track are even louder yet, so it’s essential to protect your hearing. Ear plugs will muffle the sound to a point that it’s not dangerous.

Bring trackside scanners – Scanners can serve double duty as both noise-reducing earmuffs and a direct line to the action. You can listen to general race announcements, all driver-team communications or tune into a specific frequency to hear the transmissions of a single driver, spotter and pit team. Scanners are also available to rent at the track, but remember you have to return them after the race so calculate that into your time and exit strategy.

Watch for flying debris – The catch fences are protection from potentially large pieces of debris, but the drafts from the cars and trucks may carry tiny bits of rubber, dirt and grit through the fence and into your face. (This is another reason to wear sunglasses.)

Bring binoculars and/or a camera – There are tons of photo opps on race day, so be sure you have a camera or a phone with a good telephoto lens to capture it all. To zoom in the n up-close action all the way around the track, binoculars are a must. One of the best times to capture close-ups of the cars is during pace laps when all the cars are going around at the same speed.

Be prepared for race day traffic – If you followed the “arrive early” tip, you probably didn’t have much of a problem getting to the track, but leaving is another matter entirely. Pedestrians have the right of way and police will hold cars for 20-30 minutes while those people walk from the stadium to their vehicles. By the time cars are allowed to move, those pedestrians are also driving, so it results in horrendous congestion. Traffic is blocked and directed in very specific ways and there’s no way to buck the system. If your turn happens to be against the flow, you might as well pull over, park and wait. The police will not alter traffic patterns until they feel traffic congestion has been relieved which is about two hours. Fair warning.

Have fun!

Keep an eye out for my upcoming post about other things to do in Cabarrus County on a race weekend (or anytime)! And for help in planning a visit to the area (#WhereRacingLives), reach out to VisitCabarrus.com

About Liz

Liz is an adventurous midwestern mom gone southern (accent in transition). She lives in North Carolina and loves cooking, baking, traveling, movies, crafts, wine, pizza and the occasional nap. She's also a cat lady in the making. Email her at liz@eatmovemake.com

How exciting it would be to be there are the racetrack! I have never been to a racetrack or a speedway, but I do enjoy watching it on TV. My sons would enjoy to go there too. You know how boys are, they are just amazed at how fast these cars can go.

I have a good friend who is a huge fan of the Nascar Races. Well, she got married to an man who absolutely loves watching those races too. They moved to NC, so they can be as close to the Charlotte Motor Speedway as they can. I am sure this is one exciting event to see live.

I’ve never seen this live before! It sounds absolutely exciting! I can feel the adrenaline rush as the race starts and you see your favorites on the track. I’d love to watch someday! Thanks for the tips!

My husband and i went there a few years ago when passing through Charlotte, It’s awesome! I grew up at the race track since my dad used to race so its all a familiar scene to me, especially having to wear ear plugs lol!

Good to know! I had no idea the event was so involved. My husband would love to see a race so we might just have to make a trip of it. Good call on the flying debris. I would have never thought of that!

That is EXACTLY what I said! I’ll never follow racing on tv or be a particular driver’s fan, so I just didn’t have any interest in it, but being at a race was totally different. In a million years, I would never have predicted I’d enjoy myself so much, but I really did!

I live right outside of Charlotte and I’m embarrassed to say that I have never been! My grandkids have been several times with their racing fanatic grandpa and they always have their ear protection. I need to do this soon!

When we drove down to the OBX from New Jersey earlier this summer we passed Dover Speedway, another NASCAR stop and my son was fascinated with it. He wants to go to a race. Great tips, especially bringing binoculars, I always forget those!

I think seeing a NASCAR race would be so much fun! I would definitely practice these safety tips, and I would never it up front. I’d be afraid of a car hitting the wall and flying into the crowd. I saw it happen once on TV. O_o

Have not been to a race track before. You have a lot of good points here. I honestly would not have thought about comfort for the day. I don’t know why but I would use for the grab and go. You have a much better idea than I do about this, and I will take it into consideration if I ever do go to the racetrack.

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